Friction-clutch.



No. 670,264. Patented Mar. I9, l90l.

R. WI LLETTS. FRICTION CLUTCH.

- pplicaton filed May 7. 1900.) (No Model) A l 2 Sheets-Sheet PatentedMar. l9, I90l.

R. WILLE TTS. FRICTION CLUTCH.

' (Application filed May 7, 1900.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Mo'del.)

Jay 7 UNTTED STATES PATENT Tries.

REUBEN WILLETTS, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSI'GNOR TO THE BRA'DEN GASENGINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 670,264, dated March19, 1901.

Application filed May '7, 1900. Serial No. 15,715. (No model.)

To all who/1'1 it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REUBEN WILLETTS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Butler, in the county of Butler and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFriction- Olutches, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infriction-clutches and clutch -pulleys, and is particularly adapted foruse in connection with machines of all descriptions which are operatedby means of a drive-shaft with pulley-belt connections.

The invention aims to provide a clutch mechanism for graduallyconnecting and disconnecting a line of shafting without causing any jaror slackening the speed of the motorpower.

The invention further aims to provide a powerful and effective clutchmechanism for friction-clutch pulleys, which will operate with butlittle wearing of the parts and when in clutching engagement willsecurely hold the clutched parts from slipping.

The invention still further aims to construct a friction clutchmechanism which shall be extremely simple in construction,

strong, durable, efficient in its operation, and comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view the invention finally consistsof the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of 5 parts to behereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in theclaims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatiomand where- 0in like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, in which Figure 1 is a side view of my improvedfriction-clutch. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof. Fig. 3is a longitudinal sec tional view of the arrangement of the variousparts when used in connection with a line of shafting. Fig. 4 is a frontview of the connecting plate which carries the operating 50 mechanism.Fig. 5 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the operatingband. Fig. 7 is a verticalsectional view thereof. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a portion of thefrictionalpulley,showingembedded in the web portion thereof a series ofWooden blocks for increasing the frictional engagement of the web of thehub of the drive-shaft. Fig. 9

is a side view of a portion of the shaft and connecting-plate, showing amodified form of lever carrying the adjusting-screw. Fig. 10 is aperspective view of one of the operatinglevers as shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 3.

Referring to the drawings by reference-numerals, 1 indicates adrive-shaft provided on one end with a head 2 and carrying a hub 3,which is suitably connected to the shaft 1, so that it will revolvetherewith, and having an ofiset or shoulder 4.- formed on the inner facethereof, which abuts against the head 2 of the shaft. The hub 3 hasformed at one end an upwardly-extendingannular flange5. Mounted upon thehub 3 is a clutch-pulley 6, formed with an integral web 7 and hubportions 8. The web portion 7 is adapted to frictionally engage theannular flange 5 of the hub 3. To increase its frictional engagement,the web is formed with a series of recesses, in which are embeddedblocks of wood of any suitable character, as at 9. The hub of the pulleyis of less length than the hub 3 of the shaft.

The hub 3 is provided with a series ofopenings to receive bolts or otherfastening means 10 (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2) for securingthereto a concentric connecting plate or disk 11, having anoutwardly-extending an nnlar offset 12,-formed with a centrally-arrangedchamber 13, registering with a centrally-arranged opening 14. Mountedupon the bolts between the plate or disk and hub 3 is a series ofadjusting-washers 15, the func- 0 tion of which will be hereinafterdescribed. Formed integral with the outer face of the plate or disk 11is a series of outwardly-extending keepers 16, which are arranged inpairs and provided with an opening 17 to re.- 5 ceive a suitable pin forpivotally securing thereto the operating-levers 18. These 1e- IOOmounted in such a manner upon the hub 3 that it will revolve therewithand at. the same time permit ofalongitudinal movement when engaged andoperated by the knuckle of the levers 18 to force the same against oneend of the hub of the pulley 6 to bring the Web of the pulley intofrictional engagement with the flange 5 of the hub 3, so that the pulleywill revolve with the shaft and hub. The levers are brought in to andout of engagement with the operating-band 20 by means of the cone 22,which is interiorly screw-threaded and mounted upon a screw-threadedoperating-rod 23, which at one end extends through the opening 14 intothe chamber 13, and is secured to the offset or shoulder 12 by means ofthe collar 24. Reference-numeral 25 indicates a stop-collar mounted onthe red at the front of the shoulder or offset 12 for limitiug themovement of the rod 23. The upper portion of the cone is cut away, as at26, and has suitably connected thereto a hand wheel 27, moving the coneupon the screwthreaded rod 23 to release the pressure of the levers uponthe operating-band 20.

The end of the rod 23 has suitably connected thereto an operatingwheel28 for bringing the levers into engagement with the band 20 for forcingthe pulley into frictional engagement with the hub 3. By thisarrangement of the wheels 27 and 28 the release and engagement of thelevers with the operatingband 20 can be accomplished without anyinconvenience. The mechanism is so set up that the wheels 27 28 and rod23 will not revolve with the shaft or pulley, the end of the leversrevolving upon the periphery of the cone 22.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of construction used inconnection with line of shafting when it is desired to release andclutch one pulley of a series without discontin uing the operation ofthe remaining pulleys, and this modified form consists of a hub 29,provided with a flange 30, and it is suitably keyed to the shaft 31.Mounted upon the hub 29 is a pulley 32, provided with an integral web 33and hub portion 34. This con struction of hub is provided with anoutwardly-extentiling annular flange 35, which is provided with anopening in alinement with the opening formed in the web, in each ofwhich is secured a piece of wood 36 to increase the frictionalengagement with the flange 30, and the operating-band 37, having theenlarged flange 38, which abuts against the flange of the hub 34. Theband 37 is mounted upon the hub 29 in such a manner that it will revolvetherewith and will permit of the longitudinal movement when engaged bythe knuckle 39 of the operating-levers 40. Suitably secured to the endof the hub 29 is an annular collar 4:1, carrying a series of keepers 42,provided with suit-able openings to receive means for pivotally securingthe levers thereto. Mounted upon the shaft 31 is a sleeve 43, exteriorlyscrew-threaded, as shown, and

connected at its outer end to the operatingwheel 44. Mounted upon thescrew-threaded portion of the sleeve 43 is a hollow cone 45, which isinteriorlyscrew-th readed and meshes with the screw-thread of the sleeve43. One end of this cone 45 is connected to the operating-wheel 46. Theends of the levers 40 rest upon the cone 45. and the movement thereofcauses the release and engagement of the levers with the operatingband37. The shaft 31 is provided with a suitable stop-collar 47. Theoperation of this modified form is the same as the construction setforth in Figs. 1 and 2.

The washers 15 are provided on the bolts 10 to overcome any wear betweenthe web of the pulley and the flange of the i1 nb. These washers permitof the adjusting of the plate or disk 11. In Fig. 9 I have shown amodified form of adjustment, which consists of a lever 48, pivotallyconnected to the keepers 49 and provided with an offset 50, having theadjustingscrew 51 operating therethrough. The adjusting-screw engagesthe operating-band, causing the frictional engagement of the web of thepulley with the flange of the hub. This screw can be adjusted toovercome any wear upon the flange of the hub and web of the pulley.

From the construction herein shown and described it will be seen thatwhen the levers are turned on their fulcru ms by means of the cone theknuckle of the former will engage the operating-band, forcing the sameagainst the hub of the pulley, and bring the web of the pulley intofrictional engagement with the flange of the hub, securely retaining thesame in position, and the parts will revolvesimultaneously. This actionis caused by the operation of either the wheel 28 or at. The release ofthe levers is effected by means of the op eration of either of thewheels, driving the cone outwardly and forcing the knuckle of the leversinto engagement with the operating-band. When it is desired to releasethe levers, either of the wheels 27 or 46 is operated, forcing the coneinwardly and permitting the levers to ride upon the same and release theformer. It will be evident that the frictional engagement is between theweb of the pulley and the flange of the hub and that the release of thelevers can be easily effected by means of the wheels.

The hand-wheels 27 28 are provided for the following reason: When theclutch is revolving, the hand-wheels 27 28 will revolve therewith by theslight friction on the end of the rod 23 within the collar 25. Hencewhen the engine is running over by holding wheel 27 wheel 28 willcontinue to rotate and cause wheel 27 to travel inward and release theclutch, or by holding wheel 28 wheel 27 will travel outward and tightenthe clutch. When the engine is running under, the operation is reversed.This obtains an automatic release or the engagement of the clutch withthe pulley by holding either one of the hand-wheels.

It is thought the many advantages of my improved construction can bereadily understood froin the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that variouschanges may be made in the details of construction without departingfrom the general spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a friction-clutch, the combination with the drive-shaft providedon one end with an integral head, and the hub 3 mounted on said shaft torevolve therewith and provided with an offset to engage the said head,said hub having an integral flange at its one end, of a clutch-pulleycomprising an integral hub and web, the latter adapted to frictionallyengage the flange of the hub 3, means circumferentially arranged in saidWeb of the clutchpulley for increasing the frictional engagement thereofwith the flange of the hub 3, a concentric connecting plate or diskbolted to the end of the hub 3 and provided with an outwardly-extendingannular offset, said offset having a centrally-arranged opening, aseries of adj Listing-washers mounted between the connecting plate ordisk and the end of the hub, said plate or disk having integral keepersperipherally arranged in pairs, operating-levers pivoted in said keepersand provided on their pivoted ends with knuckles, an operating-bandmounted on the hub and inclosing the adj listing-washers and connectingplate or disk, said band provided with an integral flange, and beingcapable of rotary and longitudinal movement, a threaded operating-rodhaving its one end mounted in the opening in the connecting plate ordisk and held by collars mounted onthe rod at each side of the annularoffset,a cone mounted upon said threaded rod with which the free ends ofthe operating-levers engage, said cone being reduced at its smaller end,a handwheel mounted on said reduced end of the cone for moving the coneupon the threaded rod, and a hand-wheel mounted on the outer end of saidrod for actuating the latter to cause the engagement of the knuckle endsof the operating-levers with the operating-band, as and for the purposeset forth.

2. In a friction clutch, the combination with a drive-shaft providedwith an integral head, and a' hub provided with an integral flange, saidhub being mounted on the driveshaft to revolve therewith and having anoffset to engage the head of the drive-shaft, of a pulley mounted onsaid shaft and provided with an integral web and hub portion, said webportion adapted to frictionally engage the flange, means arranged insaid web portion for increasing the frictional engagement thereof wit-l1the flange, a series of adjustingwashers mounted on the head of theshaft, a

rotating and longitudinally-movable operating-band mounted on the huband adapted to engage the hub of the pulley for causing the frictionalengagement of the pulley-Web and hub-flange, a connecting-plate securedto the headed end of the drive-shaft, a series of operating-leverspivotally connected at their one end to said plate, a threaded rodmounted in said plate, collars mounted on the rod for holding the sameagainst longitudinal movement, a cone mounted upon said threaded rod, ahand-Wheel mounted on the smaller end of said cone for moving the latteron the rod, and a hand-wheel mounted on the outer end of the rod forforcing the operating-levers into engagement with the operatingband, asand for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

REUBEN WILLETTS.

Witnesses:

R. L. KIDNER, S. L. BOGAN.

